Glen Ellyn congregation moves out

Despite high hopes and many last-minute pleas for help, Christ Church's congregation is moving out of its Glen Ellyn building at 625 Hillside Ave.

Diamante Montessori School has purchased the building the church has used for years.

"I am disappointed that in the history of the building, I am the last pastor," Rev. Saul Ebema said. "For 59 years different churches have been in and passed the keys on to another (group), but now I'm passing them on to a school, and that is painful."

On Friday, Diamante officials purchased the church property from Believers Stewardship Services, a not-for-profit group based in Dubuque, Iowa.

Though Diamante board member Ron Repking put two offers on the table for the congregation, one asking for $3,500 a month for rent and the other being a three-month contract for $1,000 each month, Ebema said neither worked out for them.

He said $3,500 each month was too expensive. And even though $1,000 each month was affordable, the congregation was concerned about what would happen after the three months were up.

"This means we'll go back to the same struggles, so that's why the church decided to move out and look for an alternative place of worship," Ebema said.

It will still take Diamante officials about six months to go through the village's permitting process and there's still no guarantee the permits will be granted.

Although an anonymous donor concerned about the neighborhood and congregation was willing to give the congregation a gift and pay $750,000 to buy the building on behalf of Christ Church, Believers Stewardship already had a pending offer from Diamante Montessori and couldn't consider Christ Church's offer unless Diamante's deal fell through.

If Diamante doesn't get the necessary permits needed to operate a Montessori school out of the site, Ebema's hopeful the donor will step up again and purchase the property on their behalf.

"If (Diamante) can't use it as a school, we'd like to continue using it as a church if he'd be willing to sell it," he said.

Repking, however, said he's taking a deep breath now that the purchase has been finalized.

"It's been a long and lengthy process," he said. "I haven't even thought about what's going to happen down the road."

For now, the congregation will meet at a neighbor's house next door to the church.

But they're in a state of shock, Ebema said.

"It's been tough for the church," he said, "but now we need to just keep praying and bounce back slowly."